In Hand and Foot
by Michael Weyer
Summary: IC Phase 1. The Defenders think the Hand have returned but it's a different ninja clan. To face them off, they need aid from four Heroes in a Halfshell.
1. Chapter 1

**In Hand and Foot**

 **By Michael Weyer**

 **I know, a bit behind on the Supergirl/Merlin but this one hit me and just had to get out.**

 **Now, some shifts to Season 3 of Daredevil but that's because in this timeline, Matt came back earlier due to Infinity Crisis. Trying to fit it with the newer seasons of** _ **Luke Cage**_ **and** _ **Iron Fist**_ **yet do want to make it work well. Tricky to mix things up but away we go.**

* * *

 _New York, New York. The Big Apple which I've long found damn rotten. And that was before half the population vanished into dust and came back. It was weird, to be sure. Me, I just hit the nearest bar and would have stayed there if a guy with a flamethrower and a talking raccoon didn't show up in a brawl outside the door._

 _I've been in fights but that was something else. Aliens, flying folks, a talking tree, it was a crazy thing. The aftermath wasn't too bad. Mick was…something to do later on that helped me out. Handling the fallout was a bit much as found my business picking up a bit. Guess being seen helping save the world leads to a bit more attention._

 _It also got me and Trish talking again which we needed to do. She'd been dusted and needed to get back to basics and we realized it wasn't smart to let so much shit come between us. She's been helping me with my business while I handle the insanity going around the town._

 _Matt's back. Yep, guess in the chaos of so many gone, no one really noticed yet another person returning from the grave. Back in his legal office and still doing the Daredevil thing. Luke…Man, I don't know. He's declaring himself the "boss" of Harlem and he says it's to make it better. I went down to give him the speech that if steps out of line I'm there and he seemed to accept it. Just worried about him, that "power corrupts" thing isn't just talk._

 _Danny went on some Zen quest thing and looks like that Colleen chick now is Iron Fist. But heard he's back with some whacky new abilities. I don't know, I stay out of it for the most part as I've got enough in my life._

 _I just want to have a normal job and pay the bills. But I keep getting that ugly feeling something's coming that can change that. And it happened when I got a case that turned wilder than I figured._

 _And just like any good old fashioned PI story, it all started with a dame walking into my office…_

* * *

The opening of the door caused Jessica Jones to look up from her file. She was in her "work clothes" of a dark sweater and jeans, her leather jacket draped on a hook. She brushed back her jet-black hair as she saw the figure entering the office. "You can knock now and then, Knight."

Misty Knight just pursed her lips as she took Jessica and her office in. She was in a professional suit, looking quite good with her prosthetic arm offsetting her dark skin. "And you should know not to just leave your office door unlocked. Not in this neighborhood."

"Folks know better than to cause trouble lately," Jessica shrugged. "So what do you want? If it's about Luke again…"

"No, not him," Misty said. "At least not today. No, want to hire you to look into something."

Jessica arched an eyebrow. "Budget cuts again?"

"You have any idea of the turnover since the Dusting?" Misty snapped. "Besides, it's something not many in the department are that upset about. Someone's been taking down some operations in the Kitchen and outlying areas."

"Isn't that the Devil?" Jessica asked.

"Just call him Matt, you hate that nickname as much as I do." Jessica nodded as Misty went on. "No, it's something else. A couple fatalities but most of them just knocked out and left behind. They're not talking too much but one mentioned some…creatures were behind this."

"Creatures?" Jessica shook her head. "Forget it. I'm not dealing with mutants, aliens or any combination of the above." She took a sip from her bottle. "Besides, why you so hot on this? Someone's taking out scumbags, that's a good thing."

"Crazy as it sounds, Jones, I actually care about crime, no matter who's pulling it," Knight snapped. "Besides, these things have a way of escalating. For all I know, this is just a new crew taking out the competition so they can move in. I don't want it heading into some gang war. Department resources are stretched thin. I need an outside source and I figure someone as tough as Luke can handle it."

Jessica tapped a pen on the desk before nodding. "Okay. Two thousand down payment, rest comes depending on what I find. I accept checks but no credit cards."

"All business, huh, Jones?"

"It is my way."

* * *

Luke Cage put down the glass, wishing the feeling of the liquor would be better. He was clad in a dark suit, a far cry from his usual outfits. Then again, it wouldn't do for someone in his position to be in the usual dark pants and yellow shirt.

His position…the "King" of Harlem. Once more, Luke told himself it was for the best. That it was better for everyone it be him rather than another Cottonmouth. He told himself he could handle it, keep crime to a minimum and cut down the drug use. He told himself he could keep kids safe and out of the crime life. He told himself he could do more good inside the system then fighting it.

He'd been telling himself a lot of things lately.

It was quiet inside the club, the early afternoon not a busy time. It gave Luke time to think, which he needed. He had meetings set up as he'd never realized just how much work it was running an enterprise like this. He had the cops, other heroes and rivals all circling around him like sharks, just waiting for a chance to strike. It was adding to the pressure of Luke trying to keep from going too far. He knew all too well the temptations of falling to a bad life and the risk he was taking with this.

He sighed as he heard the door open and footsteps enter. He wondered which of the many figures was coming to see him, either to "pay respects" or threaten him. Turning, he blinked at the blonde-haired man standing before him in a dark suit. "Danny. Didn't know you were back in town."

"A few days," Danny Rand answered. His face was impassive as he took in the club. "Moving up in the world, Luke."

"Still a long way to go before I match where you used to live." Luke held up a bottle. "Drink?"

"No, thanks." Danny looked calm but Luke could feel the obvious tension between them. "I heard what you were up to. And I get why you're doing it."

"This the part where you warn me I step out of line, you come down on me?" Luke snorted. "Cause I've already gotten that from Jess, Misty, Coleen and Matt among others."

"Nah, I've got a bit more faith in you," Danny said. "Just should be careful. I know all about driving yourself to a dark place for the right reasons."

"If it ain't me, it's someone worse," Luke stated. "Maybe it'll fail but…I still have to try." He waved a hand around. "You know how much this club was pulling in on music acts? Cottonmouth didn't need to deal drugs to make a huge profit."

Danny nodded. "Listen, I didn't come by just to touch base. Have you heard about this crew hitting the Kitchen?"

Luke nodded back. "We've got word. Struck a couple of the older operations so some of my crew worried it'll spread."

Danny carefully paced the room. "These guys are ninja."

"And…you just know that?"

"I've studied the scenes. I know the signs. Whoever these guys are, they're well trained."

"The Hand?"

"No. No, it's not their style but…something else."

"And you want me to help."

"You do owe me."

"No, I don't."

"Come on, Luke…Colleen is good but she still has to handle her abilities. And if these guys cause more of a mess, it can be bad for your business too."

Luke thought it over before letting out a long sigh. "Fine. Just one bit of checking out, though."

"Thanks."

"And I'm not wearing any damn suit, you know that."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

When "The Dusting" had hit, Matt Murdock's reaction to it was different than others. Obviously, he couldn't see people actually turning into ash and drifting apart. He did, however, endure how dozens of heartbeats around him had just ceased to be. That was without the sounds of crashes and the chaos of the vanishings. It was what had urged him to give up this hiding out and get back into the suit to help out.

It was odd that he owed his new life to such a disaster. But it had gotten him back into the groove. Had gotten him and Foggy and Karen finally back on the same page helping people. It was as if was…born again. And he rather liked it.

He crouched on the roof of a warehouse, carefully letting his senses go out. While he couldn't see it, his gaze was fixed on the building across the street, a larger warehouse in a seedy part of the Kitchen. He could sense figures inside, an unusual group and was thrown by how a couple of them seemed larger than normal. He couldn't quite make it out and so was doing his best to put it together.

He was still aware of the steps behind him as he quickly identified the heartbeat. "Colleen."

"Devil." Colleen Wing stepped forward, clad in a light white coat over her white shirt and jeans that allowed plenty of freedom for fighting if need be. Her lush dark hair flowed back as she joined Matt on the rooftop's edge. "You heard the same rumors I did."

He nodded. "Tracked down a runner to this place. I figure if the guys behind these attacks are anywhere, it's here."

"Hmmm…I suppose working together is better."

Matt nodded and then paused as he cocked his head. "Something's happening." His radar sense showed figures suddenly appearing at the roof of the building. "We need to move, now." He fired off the hook of his club to hook onto a nearby building and swung out. Colleen simply raced to take to the fire escape to join him.

* * *

"You didn't have to come," Jessica stated. She was in the passenger seat of a simple car with Misty behind the wheel. She looked out the lens of her camera to focus on the warehouse. "I'm better off solo."

"My money, I wanna see the investment," Misty replied. She sipped at her coffee. "And make sure you don't cause yet another massive mess I'm gonna spend hours working paperwork on."

"Listen, I know my sources are cagy but they agree. Folks are giving a wide berth to this place. Which means…"

"It's where the trouble is," Misty agreed. "All we're getting is intel that I can take to my boss so we can get a strike team here. No fighting."

"Come on, you already said I can't drink during this..."

"I mean it, Jones."

Jessica shrugged as she looked through the lens of her camera. Misty saw her stiffen and her gaze moved to follow Jessica's. She saw a pair of figures moving to the side of the warehouse, one she found familiar. "Is that…"

"Danny and Luke," Jessica confirmed. "Dammit, the hell are they doing here?"

"Do you guys just run into each other at random?"

"You'd be surprised." Jessica paused before sighing. "Got your piece?"

Misty nodded as Jessica unlocked the car, once more cursing her bad luck.

* * *

Matt and Colleen crouched on the rafters of the warehouse, gazing down at the group nearly fifty strong. They were dressed in full black outfits with purple hoods and a variety of weapons. Their style of movement reminded both of the Hand but somehow not quite the same. They appeared to be waiting for something, comfortable but alert. The two exchanged a look, knowing they had to be quick in their movements and do their best to avoid detection at all.

That approach was ruined when the door to the warehouse burst off its hinges.

Instantly, the ninja were alert, yanking out their weapons. They watched as Luke strode into the building with Danny behind him. He had removed a pair of pistols that he aimed at the group while Luke just cracked his knuckles. "Okay," Luke called out. "Let's make this fast and easy. Just tell us who you're working for and we'll spare you the hospital bills."

One of the ninja charged in, swinging his sword out. Luke held up his hand to block it as the blade shattered against his arm. Danny was pulling up his pistols and pulling the triggers. The guns seemed to glow before a pair of bullets streaked out, knocking back another attacking ninja. The others barely paused before charging at the duo.

Matt swung down from the rafters, landing right on one attacker. He leapt back to kick another and soon trading blows with a third. Colleen landed on a table and somersaulted to attack another ninja, her glowing blade flashing in the light.

"What are you guys doing here?" Danny asked as he dodged a blow to smash his fist into a ninja's face.

"Same as you," Daredevil fired back. "Just a bit smarter about it." He leapt back to avoid a strike, cursing himself as his radar sense was overwhelmed by so many shapes around him. "Just because you're bullet-proof doesn't mean you have to charge in like a tank, Luke!"

"We don't all got those freaky senses you do!" Luke returned as he punched a ninja across a table. He looked up as a door from the rear opened and even more of them poured out with weapons raised. "Geez, where did these guys come from?"

The door banged open again as Jessica and Misty entered. Misty had her gun raised. "NYPD, no one move!" The words were barely out of her mouth before one of the ninja slashed the front of her barrel off. Jessica belted him in the face to send him flying away. Another charged in with Misty attacking with her bionic arm to send him back.

"Hey, ladies!" Luke called out. "The more the merrier!"

"You know me, always the party girl," Jessica told her former lover as she waded into the brawl. She winced against a blow before knocking her attacker back. Two were trying to tackle Luke who easily shoved them aside. Danny flipped over an attacker, grabbing his sword. He was soon using it to slash through fellow attackers alongside Colleen.

Jessica snarled as she felt one ninja slash at her back, barely avoiding the blow before knocking him away. "You realize this counts as expenses!" she yelled to Misty, who was too busy trying to survive to retort.

Matt was kicking a ninja back when his senses detected two large shapes approaching from the next room. "Everyone get ready!" he yelled. "Something big is coming!"

The ninja parted aside to allow two figures to step forward. Actually, "stomp" would be the better term. Both were larger than a normal person with very muscular physiques. One had brown fur over his body, a torn red jacket with tight jeans and what looked like purple visor shades over his eyes. He had purple hair that was in a Mohawk ending in a ponytail and a necklace of skulls and bones was around his neck. His face resembled a warthog with a huge nose and massive teeth jutting out his mouth.

His companion was just as large but bulkier with solid grey skin. He wore a yellow muscle shirt and camouflage-styled combat pants with huge boots. On his head was a large military cap with goggles. His head was huge and dominated by a massive horn with a tip that gleamed in the light. In one hand was a gun roughly the size of an entire table.

"Sweet Christmas," Luke muttered at the sight of an overgrown warthog and a massive rhino standing on regular legs.

"Huh, the humans here look as good as our world," the warthog said in a literal snort. "What say we show them how we do things, Rocksteady?"

"Lead it on, Bebop!" The rhino lowered his gun and opened fire. The humans scattered to avoid the bullets. Danny pulled out his guns and fired, the glowing bullets flowing with one sinking right into the barrel of the machine gun. It erupted into the rhino's hands, causing him to yell in agony.

Luke charged in, tackling Rocksteady. He grunted as he felt the pain of slamming into a brick wall but kept going. The rhino creature seemed surprised at his strength as he was sent smashing through a table. Matt and Coleen moved in unison, each leaping to attack Bebop, who had pulled out a large sword to attack them both. Jessica raced to help Luke, punching Rocksteady in the gut and wincing at the pain.

"What the hell are these things?" Misty yelled out.

"Take them out first and worry about it later!" Matt yelled. He grunted as Rocksteady smashed a fist into his side, rolling about as he held his ribs. He saw the rhino throwing Luke back and started to march at him.

"Hey, Horatio, don't you have a horn convention to go to?"

Rocksteady and Bebop froze at the loud voice. They turned slowly as did all the ninja to see the arriving newcomers. The Defenders stared right back, thrown by the new arrivals but for different reasons.

In the midst of the room stood four figures. They were all of similar builds, squat figures with green skin and dark shells on their backs. They wore similar buckles and belts around their bodies and each had a bandanna over their eyes: Blue, orange, purple and red. Each had a weapon in their hands as they faced off against the two huge creatures.

"Oh, geez, its da Turtles!" Bebop groaned. "I thought youse guys was left behind!"

"Ah, come on, now we can turn them into boots!" Rocksteady boasted.

"You don't make boots out of turtles," the one in the purple mask stated. "I swear, these guys get dumber every time we meet."

Rocksteady snarled as he charged forward. The blue-masked figure leapt up to avoid the charge, allowing the purple one with the staff to duck and use it to trip Rocksteady. The rhino yelled out as he flew about and crashed into the rear of the room. The yellow and red-masked figures were moving to attack the ninja, smacking them aside with their weapons, the red one slashing a couple with his sai.

"Okay," Jessica spoke up. "Just so I know I'm not having some weird delayed effect to last night's tequila…those are turtles, right?"

"They are?" Matt frowned, only able to make out their shapes.

"Turtles who know kung-fu," Luke said in a dull tone.

"I swear to God, my life was normal before I met you people," Misty groaned.

Colleen looked to the others. "Whose side are we on here?"

Danny saw a few of the ninja break away to go after them. "The ones not attacking us!" he yelled before kicking him back. The rest soon realized he was right to charge back into the fray.

The yellow-masked figure was using some nunchucks to knock some ninja back. "Leo, behind you!" he yelled to the blue-masked figure. Leo held up his twin katanas to block a spear strike from a ninja before cutting him down. "Thanks, Mike!" he called out.

The red-masked figure somersaulted to avoid a hit. The purple-masked one was using his staff to grab onto one ninja and send it flying toward him. "Heads-up, Raph!" The red figure caught the ninja to send him flying back. "Good one, Donnie!"

"Mike" saw Luke lifting up a huge desk to send it flying into a trio of ninjas. "Whoa, dude, who are these guys?"

"Dammit, we didn't want to get attention," Leo cursed as he avoided Bebop's strikes.

"Kinda hard when you're _freaking talking turtles_!" Jessica yelled.

"Oh, come on!" Raph yelled as he slashed back at a ninja. "We see the papers! You've got weirder than us walking around this city!" He pointed at Matt. "And he's a demon guy!"

Matt just ignored him as he flipped over a ninja and threw out his billy club. The cable fired out to wrap around Bebop's legs and with a tug, he was sent smashing snout-first into the concrete. Mike did a somersault to land shell-first onto his back, causing him to gasp out in agony.

Danny and Luke battled back to back while Misty and Colleen found themselves doing the same. Jessica was tossing a ninja aside when a shadow fell from the doorway. Looking up, Jessica saw a figure slowly enter the room. He was tall, dressed in a dark purple suit with a massive helmet over his head that included a metallic face mask which almost completely hid his features. A long cape flowed behind him as his suit was packed with armored bits that included sharp edges all over. His wrists were enclosed in hard metallic gauntlets that ended in long and sharp knives.

At once, the ninja moved to join him, proving he was their leader. Even Bebop and Rocksteady moved to that side as the figure stepped forward to face the two groups of attackers.

"Oh, geez," Donnie groaned. "He survived too?"

The figure gazed at them all before speaking in a voice that echoed through his helmet. "This is not the time for our conflict, Turtles." He focused on the humans as well. "As for you…I shall give you this once chance. Stay out of the affairs of the Foot Clan. Or else suffer the consequences."

With that, he threw out his hands as canisters fell from them. A thick veil of smoke emerged, blocking off half the room. The humans were coughing a bit but it seemed to have no deadly effect. As it faded, the entire ninja group, including Rocksteady and Bebop and the fallen warriors, had vanished as if into thin air.

"How the hell do two walking bulldozers just disappear like that?" Luke demanded.

"Better question," Misty cut in, glaring at the Turtles. "Who the hell are you guys?"

"In ten words or less," Colleen snapped. "Preferably English."

Donnie stepped forward. "We are mutated reptilians who were transposed from our world to yours."

"Twelve words. Close enough."

"If he's speaking English, I'm Albanian," Luke announced.

"Dude, easy!" Mike spoke up. "We're good guys, all right! Just a bit different but we like helping out folks the Foot wants to crush!"

"Still in Albania here."

Misty glared at the Turtles. "You better be up front or I'm hauling you all in."

The quartet looked at each other with sardonic faces. "He's not gonna like it," Raph stated.

"I know," Leo sighed. "But we don't have a choice." He looked to the group. "Hope you guys have strong noses and love pizza."

* * *

Jessica was no stranger to the seedier parts of New York. But following four turtles through a tunnel and then down passageways into the sewers was something else. The four led the group into what had been a train station before being abandoned long ago. A section of it had been turned into a makeshift base of some sort. Simple cots lay on the floor to sleep in with a table marked with some maps. What looked to be a set of machines put together into a computer sat on one table while a TV set was set in another. Scattered about were empty boxes of pizza with one still containing some slices that the Turtles quickly went to chew on.

Kneeling in the center of the room was a figure with brown fur. White tendrils of hair flowed down from his chin like a long mustache/beard combo. He wore a simple red kimono over his body with a cane laid on his knees. He looked up to see the new arrivals and raised an eyebrow. "My sons," he said in a voice echoing with age. "I take it your journey tonight was eventful."

"Oh, my God," Misty whispered as Colleen instinctively shivered at the giant rat talking to them.

Leo bowed his head. "Master Splinter. We encountered a group of ninja we believed were the type we fought before. But it was the Foot."

"The whole pack," Donnie added. "Including Rocksteady, Bebop and the Shredder himself."

The figure named Splinter nodded solemnly. "This is grave news indeed. For them to be loose upon this world is a dire threat." He looked to the humans. "And who might these be?"

"Oh, we sorta ran into them fighting the Foot," Mike said between bites of pizza. "Pretty awesome moves there!"

The rat bowed his head. "Greetings, humans. I am Master Splinter."

"He's sort of our dad," Donnie said.

"Because of course he is," Misty said in a flat voice.

"Adoptive," Leo stated. "He's raised us from when were babies."

"Okay, what planet are you guys from?!" Jessica demanded.

Raph scoffed. "We're not aliens! That's just stupid!"

Splinter held up a hand. "We are not of your world, that is true. Yet I believe introductions are called for." He looked to Matt. "I know of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen already. In both your guises. As for the rest of you…"

They glanced before Misty showed her badge. "Misty Knight, NYPD."

The blonde-haired man waved his hand. "Danny Rand." He nodded to Colleen. "Colleen Wing, the current bearer of the Iron Fist." She waved to them.

"Luke Cage," he rumbled.

"Dude, awesome name!" Mike called out.

"Jessica Jones, P.I. Now how's about a talk on who you freaks are?"

"Hey, we're not freaks!" Raph snapped with Leo putting a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

The rat crossed his legs as he leaned on his staff, preparing himself. "The story begins almost twenty years ago in the Japan of our world. I was a simple rat then, the pet of young Hamato Yoshi. Hamato was a ninja warrior training with Oroku Nagi. Both were in love with Tang Shen, who chose Yoshi. Nagi was so outraged that he attacked his friend, who was forced to kill Nagi in self-defense. Knowing his crime, Yoshi and Shen traveled to New York with me their only possession.

"They found new lives there, new jobs. Yoshi worked construction while also teaching self-defense classes. I found myself watching him and even in a primal state, I understood enough to mimic his moves the best I could. That knowledge sunk into my mind until it could be used."

His face soured. "But back in Japan, Nagi's younger brother, Oroku Saki, burned with anger over his beloved sibling's death. Fueled by rage, he joined the Foot, a sinister clan of ninjas whose dark arts had been banned long ago. He rose through their ranks to become one of their top agents. He was chosen to travel to New York and establish a new power base for the Foot. Oroku accepted as he knew it was the chance to gain his revenge."

Splinter looked down with sadness in his eyes. "One night, he broke into the apartment and slew Shen. Yoshi arrived to find them and naturally fought. But he was no match for Saki who slew him as well. My cage was broken during the fight and on instinct I attacked Saki, clawing at his face. He tossed me out the window where I landed into a garbage dumpster. My master was dead and I was lost on the streets. I should have been yet another dead rat in New York."

"What happened?" Misty asked, enthralled by the tale. Even Jessica was fascinated by where this was going.

"One day," Splinter explained. "I was rummaging through the garbage near a pet store when a blind man was crossing the street. A truck was bearing out of control at him as a young boy raced out to push the man aside. The truck ended up crashing by the store and in the chaos, two items were sent flying out and into a sewer grate. I climbed down to find a broken bowl containing four baby turtles. It had landed in the remains of a canister containing a mysterious green liquid. We would learn years later that this was an experimental mutagen being transported from a laboratory."

"Mutagen?" Misty snorted. "Bad enough we got powered folks popping up, someone wants to make a drug for it?"

Splinter nodded in acceptance before going on. "As soon as I touched the liquid, I felt my mind expanding. Items I had taken in over the years suddenly became crystal-clear ideas and concepts. I took the turtles under my care as they grew. It soon became clear the mutagen had increased our intelligence as well as allowing us to grow in size. I took it upon myself to raise the turtles while also using the knowledge I had learned from Yoshi to train them in the ninja arts." He brushed back his "beard". "I immersed myself in several books found discarded in alleyways. Among them was a book on Renaissance art. It was from there that I named them."

He lifted the stick to point at each in turn. "Leonardo. Michelangelo. Donatello. And Raphael." Each Turtle nodded as their name was called out. "I realized fate had brought us together for a reason and believed it was to aid others."

"You trained them as warriors?" Danny asked in amazement.

"I trained them to do what the police of our world could not," Splinter stated. "As they grew, so did the Foot. Oroku soon transformed them into a dark force dominating the New York underworld. He took on his own identity as the Shredder and determined to bring the entire city under his heel. Eventually, I decided my sons were ready and they took the battle to Shredder. A war that continues."

Luke was clearly not getting this but Matt seemed open to it. "How'd you guys end up here?"

"Besides the Foot, we face another key enemy," Splinter declared. "Krang, an other-dimensional alien who has also attempted to conquer our world."

"It says something that's the first thing about this story that actually makes sense to me," Jessica announced.

"He's basically a talking brain who goes around in the stomach of a giant robot body," Michelangelo explained.

"And there goes the sense."

"Krang and Shredder have a love/hate thing going," Leonardo explained. "Sometimes they work together against us but other times they're fighting for power for themselves. It looks like they were in the 'off' period when we were getting into a huge battle with Krang's soldiers and the Foot. When some guys started turning into dust, we thought it was Krang's doing. Then, it hit all of us."

"When we were restored, we thought it was some weird attack," Donatello added. "But it didn't take long to realize this wasn't our world. Somehow, we got pushed into this dimension and we've been trying to find a way back."

"And…cleaning up the streets is just a way of killing time?" Jessica asked.

Splinter had a light smile to his face. "I had instilled in my sons a desire to seek justice in any way. They cannot let that fade in any world."

"Haven't you guys tried going for help?" Matt asked. "The Avengers or the Fantastic Four?"

"We're…sort of hoping to not make too many waves," Donatello said. "That was before we ran into those weird ninja guys."

"The Hand?" Matt asked with interest. "They're still around?"

"If that's what you call them," Donnie stated. "We thought they were just some random gang but we've been diving into your records to check things." He nodded to the makeshift computer set up on a tale.

"And now we've got the Foot here too," Leonardo sighed.

"Who were those two freaks with them?" Jessica asked.

"Bebop and Rocksteady," Donatello explained. "A couple of street thugs who got exposed to mutagen themselves. It warped them into these monsters while making them dumber than before."

"I'm assuming that armored dude was the Shredder?" Luke asked.

Leonardo nodded. "Yep. As bad as you may think this Hand is…if the Shredder is here, it's going to get worse."

Misty rolled her eyes. "Great. Just what we need, a gang war between super-powered ninja clans."

Splinter let out a sigh. "I am afraid we have accidentally brought our conflict into your world. Thus, we will do our best to end it before too many innocents pay the price."

The humans looked at each other. "Tell me this is not happening," Jessica half-begged. "Tell me, we're not joining up with some turtles to fight ninja from another planet!"

"I think we are," Danny said, looking just as dubious as she was.

Jessica glared at Misty. "You realize I'm seriously jacking up the bill for this."

"Shut up, Jones."

"Hey!" Michelangelo spoke up. "Now that we finally got someone from this world to talk to, I need to ask something of vital importance!" He held up a slice of food. "You guys know if there's a better pizza joint around?"

* * *

The chamber was silent with the robed and masked figures standing together in unison. One of their number was standing before the steps leading to a platform. Sitting on an ornate chair was a handsome man of Japanese descent. His long hair flowed to his waist as he wore a simple white suit with red markings across it. His eyes were covered by a red mask yet he gave no indication of being blinded as he faced the figure waiting his approval.

"You were discovered," he said in a dark voice. "Your task was simple. To infiltrate this new clan of interlopers but you could not do that."

"Their leader knows his men," the ninja stated. "He discovered me quickly."

"You dare make excuses?"

"No, my Lord. I know my failure. And I know the penalty."

"Yet you returned." The man stood up, nodding with respect. "Good." He looked over to the other ninjas. "Let this man's acceptance of his fate be a lesson to all of you. There were now be severe penalties for failure."

He reached to his bandanna and as one, all the ninjas closed their eyes and turned their heads away. Except for the one standing, who merely set himself in place. The man removed his mask to allow his solid white pupils to flash outward. Instantly, where a flesh and blood human had stood, there was now a solid stone statue.

The man replaced the bandanna and called for the attention of his men. "These interlopers are staking a claim to a city that is meant to be ours," he called out. "They call themselves the Foot. But now, by the word of Gorgon, they will feel the true wrath of the Hand."

* * *

The man stood before the huge window, gazing down at the city below. His group stood before his desk, all keeping quiet, knowing how much their leader hated being interrupted. "How much?" he finally said in a dangerous voice.

"Three million last night," one man replied. "Combined with the attacks earlier in this week, that's closing in on twenty million just in this week."

"He's making in-roads to some of our shipping lines as well," another man said. "Including our operations at the docks."

"At the rate he's going, he may well be taking over a fifth of your territory in just a week," the first man intoned.

The white-suited figure turned to face them, the light glinting off his bald head as his eyes narrowed with anger. "This man wants to play within my city?" Wilson Fisk glared at the men before him. "We'll just have to teach him a lesson."

* * *

 **As you can see, a lot of set-up but hopefully it works. I decided to go for a bit of a mix of the classic Eastman/Laird Turtles with the original cartoon and the 1990 movie as do enjoy the "teens mood" with some more serious stuff in combat. And Gorgon is just too cool a character not to use for a rebuilding Hand. All comments welcomed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**In Hand and Foot**

 **By Michael Weyer**

 **Sorry for the long delay with this. I was hit by a bit of writer's block but hoping to pick back up here. Sadly, this now seems a tribute of sorts to the now sadly axed Netflix Marvel block.**

* * *

Jessica Jones was never what one might call a gourmet. In fact, her idea of fine dining was springing for a burger that cost more than ten bucks. Yet the sight of four turtles munching on some major pieces of pizza was enough to make her reconsider her own diet.

Michelangelo was munching on a piece of assuage as he sat on the nearby couch. The sewer was still a nasty place yet somehow the Turtles were making it home. He was watching as Colleen was sparring with Leonardo, the two trading quick blows and strikes. For her part, Jessica was starting to think that going back to the club with Luke wouldn't have been a better idea. She was also wishing there was some beer in this place.

Donatello was looking over Misty's arm with interest. "That is amazing, it looks so real! What kind of metal, is that the adamantium stuff I keep reading about? We don't have that on our world."

Misty just glared as Colleen and Leonardo took a break in their sparring. Colleen wiped her head with a towel as she examined the weaponry on the nearby shelves. "You got all this yourselves?"

"Rummaging around," Donatello confirmed. "I admit, the tech you guys got is a bit better than our world. You would not believe the stuff you find in the Stark garbage bins."

Jessica sighed. "I still say you guys should be turning to the Avengers of the FF. They know a lot more about this other-dimensions hit than we do. And do you guys have no beer here?"

"We keep our spirits free of such distractions," Leonardo stated.

"Plus, technically, we are underage," Donatello threw in.

Jessica still couldn't believe she was actually having this conversation. "I'm just saying, the big cosmic stuff is not us. We're the street-level folks."

"Your status is not bound by your station," Splinter intoned from his place on the ground. "Even the smallest of figures can become a giant in combat."

Jessica narrowed her eyes. "Do you guys have _The Karate Kid_ in your universe?"

"Awesome movie," Michelangelo said.

Jessica shook her head as she looked to Colleen. "So...you and Danny talked?"

Colleen was moving into a series of sword stances. "Not yet," she flatly said.

"Still pissed he up and left you?"

Colleen stared at her. "Are you...actually trying...to give me romantic advice? The woman who redefined drunken one-night stands?"

"Hey, half the time I'm not drunk!"

"Jessica, come on," Misty snorted.

"Hey, you're in the same boat with Cage, Knight!" Jessica shrugged. "Just saying, you should clear the air. Get it all out so it's not distracting you."

"Oh you'd know about that," Misty snorted. "Your last guy even call you back?"

"No," Jessica allowed. "But in his defense, he's on a time-traveling ship in another universe so I can cut him some slack."

Misty's cell phone rang as she reached to answer it. "Wow, you get reception down here?" Jessica noted. "Very nice."

"Yeah, the new Richards FantastiPhones are cool," Misty had to note. She answered it. "Yeah? Huh." She paused to listen to the other end then raised her phone up to see an image on it. "Okay, I got it. Thanks, I'll check in later, Paul." She hung up but kept the image up. "Now that's…weird."

Colleen and Jessica both leaned in to see the image on her phone. It showed what appeared to be a trio of statues standing in the middle of a warehouse. "Vice responding to reports of a fight near the docks," Misty explained. "They found these." She focused on the statues to show one with a hand thrown before his face while the others were suited men aiming guns.

Jessica pursed her lips. "Why would someone leave a statue like that behind?"

Colleen was staring with wide eyes. "It's not a statue," she stated in a tone laced with wonder. "It's a warning."

"What?"

Coleen shook her head. "I can't believe…I thought he was just a myth…"

"Myth-taken," Jessica snapped. "What is this?"

"The Gorgon," Colleen replied. "That's the only name he's gone by. No one's sure who he really is or where he came from. Some say he's been alive for decades older than he looks, maybe a century or two. The name comes from how, with a look, he can turn anyone in his direct line of sight into stone."

"Mutant?" Jessica asked.

Colleen shrugged. "No one's sure. It could be that or one of those mystical Hand deals or a combination of the above. What's known is that even with his eyes covered, he's a superb martial artist and a killer of the highest order. Someone so deadly that the Hand leaders decided long ago to banish him rather than try to deal with him. He was supposed to be killed but it appears he's back."

Jessica threw up her hands. "That's it. I'll send you back the money, Knight, I'm out of this."

"There's no going out, Jones."

"The hell there isn't." Jessica got to her feet. "It's one thing to risk my life, that comes with the job. But I ain't winding up a museum piece!"

"Ms. Jones," Splinter announced. "Fate has bound us together for a reason."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Do not give me that destiny crap!"

"It is only 'crap' if you do not believe."

"Then it's crap."

Splinter shook his head. "No, Miss Jones. Destiny is there. I know it. I believe it as it led me to my sons. It led us to become a force for good. It led us here." He waved a hand around. "You and your friends are proof. A bulletproof ex-convict. A rich boy turned into a martial arts master. A blind lawyer turned crimefighter. A troubled woman fighting for justice. A policewoman with a metal arm. And the new Iron Fist. Something had to bind you all together."

"Yeah, bad luck, ninja crap and..." Jessica stopped and threw up her hands. "What am I doing?! I'm arguing with a talking rat!"

"And you're losing," Colleen pointed out with a smirk.

"Shut up!"

"Sit down, Jones," Misty snapped. "You're in this with the rest of us."

Jessica glared but sat down. "For the record…"

"I know, I know, you're upping the fee."

"That and make sure I get to stone, you don't put me in a park where birds can shit on me."

* * *

Luke was hanging up the phone as Danny entered the main office of the club. "Just talked to a few of my guys," Luke stated. "I got them looking out for any signs of these freaks."

"You have guys now?"

Luke glared up at him. "I thought you said you understood what I was doing."

"I do. I never said I liked it." Danny sat at the other side of the desk. "You know my biggest problem when I got to New York and began my crusade, Luke?"

"Being a total moron with people? Thinking money solved everything? The whole 'white savior' complex you got in you?"

Danny ignored him. "Seeing things too much in black and white."

"Now, I know that's not meant the way it sounds."

"I thought there was clear right and wrong and no middle ground. It's why I cut off Colleen when she revealed she was Hand to me." He shrugged. "It took a while to realize the world doesn't work that way. You have to make some sacrifices to get things done."

"That's what I'm doing," Luke stated. "Like I said, someone worse could be taking over."

"Listen, Luke…I've made some changes in my life…"

"Yeah, how exactly does this new deal of yours work? I thought you just had the fist, now you're shooting glowing bullets?"

"It's not just bullets." He sighed. "It's complicated."

"I swear to God, you bring up punching a dragon again…"

"It wasn't…never mind." Danny wiped his face. "Luke, I know all about how the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And how a good man can be corrupted by making too many sacrifices. I don't want that to happen to you."

"I'm no fool, Danny. I know how to handle things."

"In a straight-up fight, sure. This is something else."

Luke scoffed. "It says a lot I'm actually looking forward to fighting ninjas and walking animals than continuing this conversation."

"You can't avoid it forever, Luke."

The other man rose up and brushed at his coat. "You wanna talk frank, Danny? How about when you come clean to Colleen on what the hell happened to you?"

Danny looked away. "That's different."

"Is it?" Luke pressed. "You're talking to me on secrets, sounds like you're keeping a bunch from her."

"That's my issue. When the time is right."

Luke snorted. "Take it from me, rich boy. When it comes to breaking a dark secret to a woman, the time is never right."

* * *

The office wasn't fancy but it suited Matt well. New York had been rebuilding in the aftermath of the Dusting and there was a lot of real estate available. It was set in the lower level of a Hell's Kitchen brownstone which also allowed Matt to get a better apartment. True, it wasn't as if he needed the view but a somewhat bigger place was needed for his newly designed costume and a couple of spares in a closet that could only be opened by a complex lock sequence that required super-hearing to crack.

He didn't even bother looking up as the door opened. Even without being able to hear the heartbeat, Foggy Nelson was always easy to detect. No one else had the mix of that aftershave and a love of greasy sandwiches. Matt was going over some papers of his latest case as his partner entered. Foggy watched as Matt ran his fingers down the pages. "Least now I know how you managed to binge so fast at college when there weren't as many braille texts."

"Trust me, it was better than listening to your speed tapes," Matt stated. Foggy sat across from him as Matt paused. "Heard from Karen?"

"You can read with your fingers, Matt. I'm pretty sure you can work a phone."

"It's been…tense."

"Gee, just because you let us all think you were dead?"

"Foggy, what happened was…a mess…"

Even though he knew Matt couldn't see it, Foggy glared at him. "Blunt question, Matt. If the Dusting hadn't happened, would you have come out and revealed yourself? Or stuck to the shadows for a while longer?"

The silence was all the answer Foggy needed as he sighed. "I try to avoid this line as much as I can but the fact is you're blind in more ways than one, Matt. That woman cares for you. A lot. You can't just accept it."

"Foggy, the last woman I got close to tried to kill me and ended up dying. Twice."

"Fair point," Foggy allowed. "But I still think you should just talk to her. You really are horrible at communication, you always have been."

"I'm not…"

"Seriously, Matt, you can be terrible at talking to people. Which I know is ironic given your job."

"Alanis Morrissette truly ruined the definition of irony."

"Matt…talk to her. If only so I can get some peace and quiet."

Matt shook his head. "This is why I'm glad you dropped that idea to run for D.A."

"Worried I wouldn't be good at it?"

"No, worried you would be and make my job even harder."

Foggy just shook his head. "Okay, okay. Now can I count on you to help with the Scotts case?"

"Can't. I've got work tonight."

"What? Patrol? Come on, you can put it off."

Matt looked up at him. "I'm helping Luke, Danny and Jessica in stopping a war between ninja clans aided by a quartet of mutated turtles trained in martial arts by a talking rat from another reality."

Foggy just stared at him and snorted. "Fine, don't tell me."

* * *

"I got a hit!" Donatello called out from his computer. The Turtles and the women were moving to look over his shoulder as he tapped the screen. "It was tricky figuring out but going by records of sudden energy dips as well as some specific robberies, I think we've figured where Shredder would be."

Leonardo leaned over to see the dot blinking on a map. "Huh. By some sort of lab. That makes sense. He must be trying to find his own way back to our world."

"Which means we can follow him," Raphael stated.

"Not without us," Colleen declared.

Jessica rubbed her face. "As much as I need the cash, I still vote we call the Avengers."

"Or at least a SWAT team," Misty threw in.

"If you want them all killed, go right ahead," Raphael snapped.

Splinter nodded. "The Foot are a force beyond mere police. Only a force such as ours can defeat them."

Colleen nodded as she rose to her feet. "Call Danny, Luke and Matt. We go in fast and take the Foot down."

"Not the sentence I was expecting to hear when I got up this morning," Jessica noted as she got to her feet.

* * *

Calling something as being in a seedy part of Hell's Kitchen was saying a lot. The warehouse had been abandoned long before the Dusting and in an area where few dared to go. That made it a perfect place of operations for a group with dark intentions. The group of heroes were hanging outside the building as Leonardo looked through a pair of binoculars. "All right…not seeing any signs of sentries or alarms but that doesn't mean he's not watching."

"Plus, that's still a huge amount of Foot," Michelangelo noted.

"Where did he even get all these guys anyway?" Jessica asked. "There a huge market for ninjas in your world?"

"Ah, some are long-time Foot following family tradition," Donatello said. "Others are lost folks who got pulled into it and think it's a great thing."

"At least he's not using robots again," Michelangelo said.

"That was a really weird period," his brother agreed.

Luke stared at them. "Robots? You fought robots?"

Danny shrugged. "It wasn't that long ago that we were fighting an army of aliens, elves and Nazis."

"Robots?"

"Bright side, you can just smash the hell out of them without hesitation."

"I'm doing that anyway with these guys."

"We'd better Luke handle that Beebop and Rocksteady."

"Thanks, Misty."

Colleen pulled out her sword which glowed with light. "We need to be ready to cut loose, show no quarter."

"No problem," Raphael stated. "We were on a bit of a 'take it easy' kick but now we know we have to get gritty."

"No killing if we don't have to," Matt stated.

"Dude," Raphael snapped. "It's a batch of killer ninjas, we can't just play with kid gloves!"

"Plus, the Hand forces won't hesitate," Colleen stated. "It's kill or be killed, Matt."

"I just don't want to go down that path."

"Then don't, we'll take up the slack," Leonardo said.

"Whoever gets the most hooded punks gets the biggest pizza!" Michelangelo declared.

Jessica rubbed her head. "That's it. I'd rather die fighting ninjas then live another minute with you nuts."

* * *

The interior of the warehouse was mostly empty except for a large center platform. Various mechanical devices were put together as the Foot ninjas were busy moving more equipment around. Rocksteady was placing down a huge console, making sure it was in the right place. Beebop was nearby, scraping his teeth with a huge splinter of wood. "That's the last of it, boss!" he called out.

The Shredder nodded as he marched about the console, taking in the equipment. "This should be a decent start," he mused.

"Listen, boss," Rocksteady said. "Ya know…we don't exactly have any big science minds around here…."

"Obviously," Shredder muttered.

"And no offense, but it ain't like ya earned yerself a doctorate in dimensional stuff in the last few months. So how are we gonna get this thing working?"

"We don't need to open a full portal," Shredder stated. "All we need to do is send out a signal to Krang. He can access this dimension."

Beebop frowned. "Krang? Boss, he's parta the reason we're in this mess!"

"Krang has his issues but he can be open to making a deal," Shredder stated. He smiled under his mask. "Access to another Earth is just what he would wish. He can have this world and allow us to return to our own."

"Sounds good, boss," Rocksteady stated. "But what about da Turtles?"

"We shall deal with them in time," Shredder spoke. He paused as he looked about slowly. "For now…we have another issue." He stepped to the edge of the platform and spoke up. "You can come out. Face me as a man."

The Foot all paused, uncertain but somehow knowing their master had sensed something. From the shadows flowed a pack of figures in matching red and black uniforms. Beebop and Rocksteady both raised their guns as the Foot got ready. At the lead of the pack was a man in a dark white suit that was clearly designed to fight. He wore a solid red mask over his eyes but Shredder knew he could easily see. He also had the bearing of a very experienced warrior.

The masked man paused and bowed. "Tomi Shishido. The Gorgon."

After a pause, Shredder also bowed. "Oroko Saki. The Shredder."

Gorgon nodded as he straightened. "You have been interfering in our business. We have attempted to remain hidden in the shadows as is our way. But you have forced us into the light. This city is to be ours. Not yours."

"We have no desire to rule this city," Shredder intoned. "Merely to return to our own."

"Which will invite another force to attack," Gorgon noted. "We will not allow that to happen."

"Then it would appear we are at odds." The Shredder raised his arm as the blades extended from his gauntlet. The Foot instantly pulled out their own weapons. The Gorgon drew a pair of swords as the Hand also went into fighting stances. The two groups faced off, each waiting for the other to make the first move, the tension within the chamber thick with the preparation of battle.

" _Cowabunga!"_

The Turtles burst into the room from the side, ready to move on a quick strike against the Foot. The Defenders were behind them but they all stopped as they took in the two large groups who were now staring at them.

"Um…" Michelangelo began. "Were they just about to start fighting each other?"

"I think they were," Donatello said.

"Aaaaand, we stopped that."

"Yep."

"Aaaaand now they can decide to fight us."

"Yep."

"Kaaaaaaay. Hindsight 20/20, we should have approached this better."

"Rend them limb from limb!" Shredder howled. The Gorgon barked out an order in an odd language and the Hand moved to attack.

Jessica snarled as she kicked a ninja back. "Anyone want to help? I'm about to be rended."

Donatello smashed his staff against a Hand and the other end against a Foot. Leonardo was leaping forward to attack the Gorgon who blocked him with his own blades. The man moved almost inhumanly fast, stunning Leonardo with a slash. Colleen was there to block his sword with her own glowing blade. The two worked together as the Gorgon blocked their attacks easily to drive them back.

Rocksteady charged in, his head bent down with his horn at the front. Luke just managed to dodge it while grabbing the horn. He grunted as he pulled it along and sent the rhino smashing into a pack of ninjas who had been attacking Danny. The former Iron Fist managed to leap out of the way as Hand and Foot alike scattered.

The Shredder was wading into the fray as Daredevil dodged his attacking blows. He slashed and Matt used his club to catch the strike before kicking him in the face. Raphael was moving in, slashing with his sais as the Shredder avoided the attack to strike hard at the Turtle. Nearby, Jessica kicked another ninja back while Misty was using her service revolver to fire at anyone in her path.

An explosion ripped through the side of the building. Everyone spun around to see a figure stepping into the room. The smoke cleared to show the craggy face marked with scars as well as the massive machine gun in his hands. His face was set as hard as the giant skull that covered his shirt.

"Kung fu this," the Punisher snarled as he lifted the gun and began to open fire. Foot, Defender and Turtle alike scattered under the barrage of bullets. A few unlucky ninjas were cut down as the Punisher moved behind a pillar before firing off once more.

Michelangelo winced as a bullet struck inches from his head. "Holy crap, you guys have Rambo on this world too?" he called out.

"Frank Castle," Misty called out. "Former soldier turned nutjob vigilante named the Punisher."

Leonardo ducked another blast of fire. "Does he know he's just making things worse?"

"It's his way," Misty noted.

Daredevil just managed to dodge a strike as he leapt over to where the Punisher was. "What are you doing here, Frank?"

"Following a lead," the man grunted. "Just stay out of my way." He dropped his empty gun to pull out an Uzi from the belt under his coat. He opened up fire to cut down a trio of ninjas. Matt cursed as he went back into the fight.

Jessica ducked under a table to avoid another blast of gunfire. "Someone stop this lunatic before he kills us all!"

Michelangelo threw out his nunchucks, the chain wrapping around the Punisher's gun. He pulled it out of the man's hands as Raphael nailed him with a kick. The Punisher grunted as he fell back with Misty tackling him to the ground. "I know it's not a priority," she snapped. "But you're under arrest, Castle!"

A howl got their attention as a Hand moved to attack them with a sword. Castle pulled a pistol from his belt to shoot the ninja back. "Cuff me if we survive," he hissed as he got to his feet. As much as she hated to admit it, Misty knew he had a point and rejoined the fray.

The Gorgon was moving in when he felt a shadow move toward him. He lifted his swords to block the Shredder's claws. The two were soon moving into a wild fight, sparks flying from the clash of their blades. "Well, well," Shredder stated as he dodged a strike. "It's been far too long since I found someone close to my equal."

"Indeed," Gorgon agreed as he made several lightning-fast strikes the Shredder barely blocked. The two continued their solo fight as the chaos of the battle around them continued.

With no warning, a blast of light erupted from the platform. Everyone leaped back as they felt a wind blowing across the room. The light formed a circular field of energy that clearly was a portal of some sort.

"Oh, what fresh hell is this?" Misty groaned as a figure formed in the light.

The figure stood up from the field. It was dressed in a nice sweater vest, slacks and tie, a professional look which offset how he was basically a fly. There was no other way to say it; the insect head was featured by huge eyes that flickered about, a pair of extra arms extended from his mid-section and thin wings flapped behind him. "It worked.." he spoke in a voice that hissed with an echo. "Yessssssss, it worked!"

Donatello blinked in confusion. " _Baxter Stockman_?!"

"Friend of yours?" Misty said although the answer was obvious.

"Not exactly, he's a nutty scientist who got mutated by one of his own experiments."

Jessica threw up her hands. "Ninja turtles, rhino henchman, a mad scientist fly, what's next, a samurai rabbit?"

Another shadow fell into the light as someone else joined with Stockman. As the light faded, a figure stood before the group. While the Defenders stared in confusion, the Turtles looked downright ecstatic. "Oh, hell yeah!" Raphael yelled with more pure joy than the Defenders had seen on his face before.

The figure was in a pair of jeans and a torn sleeveless jacket over a tank top shirt. He balanced a hockey stick in one arm, tapping the end of it into his palm. His face was completely covered by a hockey goalie mask as he nodded at the Turtles.

"All right, you black-garbed _Double Dragon_ rejects," he called out. "The school of pain is now in session with your instructor… _Casey Jones."_

* * *

Wilson Fisk sipped at his wine as he faced the figure sitting across from his desk. The skyline of New York was showcased in the window behind Fisk as the figure stood out in the ornate office. . His face was set in a hard expression as he looked to the other figure. The man was sitting with one leg crossed over another as he read a book. "You need to pay attention," Fisk stated. "I'm paying you a hefty sum to take care of this situation. Not to simply ignore me."

Fisk sipped at his win as he gazed at the figure. "I went to considerable cost to get you where you are. To heal you, to help train you, to get you into the business. That you went out on your own, I can understand given our…issues. However, I still expect you to be professional about this."

The figure kept reading his book while a gloved hand fiddled with a paper clip. Fisk sighed deeply. "Very well. You want money, I can give you more. An additional million to your asking price." He leaned in carefully, his face set in anger. "Can you do this or not, Poindexter?"

The fingers flicked the paper clip outward. It sailed across the space and the desk, cracking right through the top of the wine glass. It hit the cushioned chair behind Fisk and bounced right backward. The clip landed perfectly in between the pages of the book. "Sorry," the figure stated as he closed _A Catcher in the Rye_. "Had to mark my place."

He leaned back in the chair, showing the tight dark navy blue costume with white stripes around his shoulders and arms. A mask covered his face with what appeared to be a set of circles on his forehead. The same pattern seemed to be in his eyes as he gazed out at Fisk.

"By the way…Benjamin Poindexter died on that operating table. The name…is _Bullseye_."

* * *

 **Hopefully not as long before the next update and hope worth the wait on this.**


	3. Chapter 3

**In Hand and Foot**

 **By Michael Weyer**

 **Apologies for lateness in update, a bit of writer's block and other fics but hoping to catch up with this.**

 **Also a note that the TV Tropes page for this now has a "Characters page" to add onto for fun.**

* * *

" _GOONGALA_!"

With that bizarre cry, Casey Jones leapt off the platform, his hockey stick smashing into a Foot mask. He spun around to strike a Hand ninja and was soon wading into the battle. Despite his lack of actual martial arts knowledge, his strength, guts and pure wild fervor were letting him more than hold his own in the battle. The Turtles were invigorated by his arrival to pick up the pace in their own fighting.

The portal crackled once more as another figure stepped out. She was a strikingly beautiful redhead woman in a nearly solid yellow jumpsuit. She was shaking her head as she pulled a sword from the scabbard on her back. "Dammit, Casey, I told you to wait for me!"

"April!" Donatello said with a grin as he smashed his staff onto a ninja. "Great to see you!'

"Good to see you guys too," April O'Neill said with a smile as she waded into the fray. While her experience with a sword was limited, one did not hang around four ninja turtles without picking up some tricks and she was able to handle herself as well.

"Do I even want to know?" Misty sighed.

"April O'Neill," the redhead introduced herself. "News reporter." She slashed her sword to cut a Hand ninja down.

"I guess the news business is a lot harsher on your world," Misty remarked. "And Wayne Gretsky on steroids?"

"Casey Jones," Raphael stated. "The coolest guy in the world!" The masked man gave the turtle a high five before smashing his stick into the face of a Foot ninja to send him flying back. Nearby, the Punisher was still unleashing blasts from his machine guns to cut several ninjas down. Baxter Stockman was moving only to be grabbed by his wings and yanked back by the Shredder. "Stockman!" he snarled. "You miserable worm!"

"Fly!" the scientist automatically corrected.

"You dare betray me?"

"Please, how many times have you tried to kill me?" Stockman fired back. "Besides, if I have to be utterly frank, Jones scares me more than you do, that man is a lunatic."

Shredder snarled as he clutched his throat with Baxter holding up a clawed hand. "Ah, ah, ah….I am the only person who happens to have a way back home…"

Shredder snarled. "The price?"

Stockman looked at the chaotic battle around them. "Perhaps we can discuss this in a better setting?"

"Stockman, you miserable backstabbing weasel!" April snapped.

" _Fly_!"

The Punisher unleashed another blast from his machine gun before backing up, elbowing a ninja down. Luke stepped before April to deflect a few of the stray bullets with April amazed to see the rounds bouncing off of him. Donatello was smashing his staff into a Hand's face before stabbing the other end into the stomach of a Foot. He lifted it up to send the guy flying into the air to smash into a nearby table. Daredevil was leaping over one to smash his boot into a Hand's face while Coleen was working back to back with April cutting down other ninjas.

While Casey was not a trained fighter, his sheer exuberance was making up for it, his hockey stick flying about as he smashed anyone in his path. Luke was charging ahead to tackle Rocksteady, pushing the rhino back and into a nearby wall. He punched him in the face, actually wincing at the hard skin but kept it up. Jessica was lashing out with a kick as the Gorgon waded into the mix, his swords flashing. Leonardo was moving to intercept them just as Colleen leaped forward. Both of them were barely able to keep up from the whirling blades moving at nearly inhuman speed. Colleen winced as one cut at her upper arm but was grateful the Gorgon was too obsessed with proving his skills with a blade to make the much simpler move of simply removing his blindfold to end this fast.

Daredevil was sent knocked back by a blow, leaning on a bench. He shook his head to clear it when something caught his ear. Matt blinked as he cocked his head. "Did I take a blow to the head or does anyone else hear…music?"

Danny frowned. "It's not just you." Sure enough, a bright and rather upbeat musical beat was starting to fill the air. It sounded like the sort of song someone would mix in their bedroom. The fighting slowed as everyone looked around in confusion to the lyrics playing.

" _Can she climb….up a tree? Yes she can…easily…Find some nuts…eat some nuts…Kick bad guys…evil butts…Life is like an acorn…Where there's a city crime-torn…that's where you find…"_

Bursting into the chamber was a young woman with light brown hair, her massive smile featuring a large set of teeth at the front of her mouth. She wore a dark brown bodysuit with darker leggings, a yellow belt and a light brown bomber jacket. Prominent was the large tail extending from the small of her back. What appeared to be a small pair of ears attached to a headband rested in her hair as she let out a yell alongside the final lyric of the song playing from her iPod.

"Here comes the _Squirrel Girl!"_

Leonardo stared at the newcomer, then over to Luke. "I fully realize how this is going to sound coming from me but…this is weird."

"What the hell?" Luke blurted.

The woman saw several Hand moving at her and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small squirrel that fit into the palm of her hand. "Plan M-59 Tippytoe!" The squirrel let out a squeak as the woman pitched him out like a fastball. He latched onto the face of a ninja and began clawing at his eyes. The woman herself let out a high-pitched yell mixed with a screech as she charged into the fray to knock several ninjas back. "I hope you all like rhyming couplets because my justice is poetic!"

"Who the hell are you?" Misty demanded.

The woman threw a Hand ninja into a Foot one before kicking another back. "Me?" She stood proudly with her fists on her hips in a heroic pose. "I'm the _Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!"_ Her tail flew back behind her to smack Bebop in the face.

"When did my life stop being normal?" Misty asked no in particular.

April let out a sigh herself as she ducked a sword swing to punch a Foot in the face. She then watched as Misty lifted one ninja off his feet with her bionic arm and threw him into another. "I hear you, lady."

Squirrel Girl was leaping into the fray once more, literally jumping off the head of two ninjas to kick at a third. She ducked another to pick up a table. "Watch it, buddy! I have the proportional strength and agility of a squirrel!"

"Did she really just say that?" April asked. "Leo, seriously, what kind of world is this?"

"This is nothing. Wait till we tell you about the super-heroes."

"They have super-heroes?"

"Complete with costumes and a tower HQ!"

"Why haven't you gone to them for help?"

"Even she's saying it!" Jessica snapped.

The Gorgon was moving away from Leonardo and back toward the Shredder. The Foot leader was standing up to block his sword blows and the two dueled it out once more. "Skilled," the Gorgon stated. "But not enough." He stabbed outward with blinding speed with the Shredder hissing as his arm was slashed by the blade. The Gorgon was moving in for the kill when Squirrel Girl leaped into his way. "Hey, hey, this is not nice! Slashing people is not fun!"

"Out of my way, child," the Gorgon hissed.

"Ya know, I count myself a people person but you're just…mean." Squirrel Girl ably ducked one slash of his sword and then leapt upward to avoid another. The Gorgon cursed as he decided it was time to end this farce once and for all. He reached up to grab at his bandanna, preparing to remove it and unleash his petrifying gaze on everyone in his path.

In mid-air, Squirrel Girl's tail flowed out and somehow latched itself onto Shredder's faceplate. It yanked to pull it right off, Shredder jerking about and reflexively turning as he covered his scarred mouth. Squirrel Girl spun around as her tail swung to show off the plate's mirrored surface just as the Gorgon removed his bandanna.

Squirrel Girl spun back and stopped in place. Standing before her was a solid statue of the Gorgon, his expression frozen in a look of utter disbelief as if unable to realize how he'd seen his own gaze reflected back at him. Tippytoe leaped over to crawl up the statue and made a small chirping noise. "Wow, that really worked out," Squirrel Girl mused as she dropped the faceplate. Shredder quickly grabbed it to reattach it to his helmet.

She turned to face the Shredder. "Okay, better give up now or you'll get worse!"

The Shredder raised an eyebrow. "Do not even try to pretend you intended for that to happen!" She merely shrugged in response.

The sight of their leader transformed into stone swept over the Hand quickly. It wasn't helped when Rocksteady charged forward and smashed the statue to pieces with a blow. The Shredder gave a rare grateful nod his aide before barking out in Japanese. As one, the Foot moved quickly to his side. Stockman was fiddling with his device. "Here we go, a short-range hop…." In a huge flash of light, they were gone.

By the time the light faded, the Hand had also vanished with the remains of the Gorgon carried with them. "Seriously, how do they even do that?!" Misty complained.

"Trade secret," Leonardo stated. "We'd tell you but…"

"You'd have to kill us?'

"No!" Leonardo seemed insulted. "Just sue you."

"I'll handle that," Matt said, the only one not affected by the light flash.

Squirrel Girl was frowning at the vanishing ninjas but shrugged. "Welp, it appears my job here is done!" She looked over the Turtles with little surprise. "Now, are you humans turned into turtles or is it the other way around?"

"Other way," Donatello answered her. He looked her over. "And what's your story?"

"No time to tell it, I've got stuff to do!" She let out a whistle as Tippytoe raced up to crawl onto her shoulder. "Until next time, my fellow vanquishers of evil!" She made a salute before leaping to scale up a shelf and then up the wall to leave via the skylight on the roof, humming to her theme song as she went. " _Is she tough? Listen, bub, she's got partially squirrel blood! Who's her friend? Don't ya know! His name is Tippytoe_ …"

Casey lifted up his hockey mask to show his handsome face. "Damn, you guys are making some weird friends."

The Punisher was kicking over a corpse as he spoke. "This is why I'm working alone."

"Not right now," Misty said, raising her gun at him. "In case you forgot, you're under arrest!"

He just looked at her and grunted. "There's a damn war going on here, Knight. You wanna waste time bringing me in?"

"He's got a point," Danny said. "Besides, we all know he'll just kill a few guys in lockup and then escape." As much as she hated to admit it, Misty knew Danny was right and reluctantly lowered her gun.

"Can we shelve this until we can get back home?" Leonardo piped up.

"And stop for pizza on the way," Michelangelo spoke up.

"We have no time for pizza!" Luke barked at him. He became aware of four Ninja Turtles all giving him expressions ranging from surprise to anger. "Dude…there's _always_ time for pizza," Michelangelo said in a tone that left no argument.

* * *

"That happened, right? I mean…I didn't hallucinate it? That all really did just happen?"

Jessica seemed unsure of herself as she followed the group back to the sewer base of the Turtles. It was cramped as ever but still enough room for the group to pile in. "Because I'm wrapping my head around how this supposedly bad-ass immortal warrior just got beat by a lady dressed like a squirrel."

"That was…bizarre," Colleen agreed. "Still, the rumors are that the Gorgon has returned from death before."

Luke gave her a disbelieving look. "The guy is literally a pile of rocks right now!"

Colleen waved a hand around. "And half the people in this room were dust and returned." Luke frowned as he had to concede the point.

Splinter offered a small smile from his seated position as he saw the group enter. "Miss O'Neil. Mr. Jones. It is good to see you again."

"Hey, Splinter," April replied with a grin. "Glad to see you too. It's been a total mess since you guys vanished. It took us a while to figure out what was happening. We tracked down Stockman who had already discovered it was some sort of alternate reality thing. We…persuaded him to find a way to track you down and bring you back."

"Except now he's with Shredder," Casey sighed. "They could be back home already."

"Maybe," April allowed. "But Stockman said the device was only a prototype and that latching onto the bio-signature of you guys was hard as it was. Finding a way back could be tougher."

"You guys didn't think to have him build another?" Donatello asked.

"It was a rush job," April defended herself. "At least we insisted he go through the thing first just in case. We're not total idiots."

Jessica stared at her. "You came through a portal from another universe designed by a talking fly. The jury is still out."

"I should announce that we have a guest," Splinter said. There was a shuffling as an attractive blonde-haired woman exited from the side room. "Jess, you're back!" Trish Walker smiled. She was dressed in a light blouse and slacks, her hair a bit tousled but still looking good. "Sorry, I was tracking your phone down to here and…" Trish blinked as she took in the new arrivals and leaned in toward Jessica. "Jess…You know those are four giant turtles, right?'

"I'd say you get used to it but I'd be lying."

Trish shook her head. "Wow. I was already freaking out about the rat but this…"

April chuckled. "I've been where you are. A simple story had me running into the guys here and things have gotten even crazier since."

"And you?" Trish asked Casey.

"Just a guy helping out," he shrugged.

"And doing an awesome job of it!" Raphael said.

Danny looked to Luke. "I'm the former Iron Fist, you have bulletproof skin and the hockey player is the one he thinks is cool?"

"His hair is better than yours."

"No, it's not."

"Keep telling yourself that."

Trish looked at the group. "Okay, the…talking turtles…are one thing but…the Punisher?"

"It's not by choice," Castle grunted. "Against those freaks, you need the help."

"Which is the only reason I'm not busting your ass," Misty snapped.

"Try it," he growled.

"Dude, come on, ease up!" Michaelangelo slapped a hand to the Punisher's shoulder. He looked at it, then at him with a gaze that made Michelangelo slowly back up with his hands raised.

Jessica was looking toward the makeshift computer center. "Right now, I want a line on this…Squirrel chick."

"Oh, the Squirrel Girl?" Trish spoke up. "I've heard of her, been getting calls of her helping people around town!"

"Great, another weirdo in a costume running around," Jessica muttered.

"Yeah, about that, you guys are making half of this up, right?" April asked. "I mean…a World War II supersoldier, a millionaire wearing a suit of armor, a Thunder God and the rest? That's way too much."

Danny looked at her in disbelief. "You're friends with a bunch of talking turtles and a rat!"

"And you're with a guy with bulletproof skin and she's got glowing swords!"

"I'm just saying…"

Trish smiled at Jessica. "And you claim me fighting crime would be a bad idea."

"Trish, we've been over this. Power or not, you're not gonna dress in some dumb costume and go patrolling!"

"I have as much training as you do!"

"Which should just prove my point!"

"She does drink less than you do," Danny remarked.

"Stay out this, rich boy!"

"Technically, I'm not that rich and it's not like I actually lived off the money..."

"Still like to flaunt it," Colleen had to point out.

Danny frowned as Donatello offered him some pizza. "Sorry, I diet."

"Really? Huh, thought the glowing bullet chi came from your metabolism," Donatello said.

"You never did explain how you learned to do that," Daredevil stated.

"Again, it's not an easy story," Danny stated. The cool tone to his voice made it clear he wasn't going to get into it at that moment.

Casey was frowning at Danny. "You're a hard one to figure out, man. You seem like an entitled douche but you fight like someone with nothing to lose."

Danny looked him over. "What's your training?"

"Training? Aside from an asshole of a dad, some nasty hockey coaches and the drunks at a bar? All self-taught."

"Yes, it shows." Casey just smiled and gave a thumbs-up, accepting what he assumed was a grand compliment.

Michelangelo settled into a chair to chew on some pizza. "Okay, so the Hand may not be as much of an issue now but Shredder is still out there."

"And if Baxter fixes that device, he can get back to our world and leave us stuck." Leonardo added.

"I told you we should have tied him up before bringing him over," Casey told April and she had to shrug in agreement. "I was a little worried getting to the guys first." She looked over to them. "And...listen, don't take this the wrong way.."

"In any universe, that statement has been proven to have a zero percent success rate," Jessica responded.

"But maybe turning to these more...um...famous super-heroes with the high-tech stuff is a better option than the street level guys?"

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "April, I don't care what weird stuff the Avengers have seen...four giant talking turtles and a rat showing up? That may be a tad much."

"Besides," Leonardo added. "Shredder and the Foot are our responsibility."

April chuckled. "Honor before reason, nice to see not much has changed with you guys."

"That includes our style!" Michaelangelo announced.

"Finding Shredder is key," Leonardo stated. "If we can figure out where he is again, we can stop him and get that device to get back home."

"Except Shredder isn't an idiot," Donatello pointed out. "He'll be more careful."

Trish scratched her head. "Well…if some of the stories I've heard are true…there might be a way but you guys may not like it…"

* * *

 **Empire State University**

Doreen Allene Greene whistled as she walked down the paved sidewalks of the quad of the college grounds. Her light brown hair mixed with her brown slacks and vest over a darker shirt. Her pants were clearly bunched at the rear end as the long brown bushy tail flowed behind her which got the odd look now and then but most just ignored her. She was moving beside a corner when she found Jessica and Trish standing before her, the former with her arms crossed. "Oh. Um…hi?"

"Squirrel Girl?" Jessica asked. The sunglasses over her eyes were an indication of the hour of drinking she'd indulged in to get over the events of the previous night.

Doreen blinked but laughed. "Oh, really, me? Wow, I'm flattered, I am but come on, I am not…"

Trish held up her phone to show an image of Doreen in costume and quite obviously the same woman. She blanched and nodded. "Okay, there's a tiny resemblance…"

Jessica just sighed as she removed her sunglasses and rubbed her head. "Lady, it's been a long night, I'm hungover and no time for this bullshit. By the way, Squirrel Girl? You're an adult."

"Well, come on, Squirrel Woman is just silly." Doreen sighed. "How'd you find me? How'd you figure out my secret identity?"

Jessica stared at her as if she'd been asked what gender she was. "You don't wear a mask. You don't disguise your voice. You have the exact same hair. Oh, and also. You. Have. A. _Tail_!" She waved at it as Doreen looked behind her as if surprised she'd noticed it.

Trish coughed. "Listen, we don't want to cause trouble but we do need some help. We're trying to figure out a major threat and your Facebook page…"

"Where, again, you make _zero_ effort to disguise your appearance," Jessica inserted.

Trish continued. "Where you say you have methods of finding people and folks mentioning you've helped recover stolen items or even a missing person. We hope you can help us here."

Doreen cocked her head to think about. "Tricky….but okay." She led them to a nearby tree and let out a series of odd chirps. There was a pause and then a squirrel hopped down from a branch into her waiting hands. Doreen nodded and turned to Jessica. "Okay. Just tell Tippytoe what you need and he'll start looking."

Jessica just stared at the squirrel and then to Trish. "Oh, I am not doing this."

"Try it, Jess."

"I am not talking to a squirrel! I am not acting like it's actually that smart!"

Trish arched an eyebrow. "Jess, I spent half of last night with a pack of ninja turtles and their talking rat mentor. You had a one-night stand with a guy from another universe who flies in a time machine. _This_ is where you're drawing the line?"

"It has to be somewhere!"

Trish sighed. "Fine, fine." She leaned in toward the squirrel. "Okay…Tippytoe? Can you find out where this Shredder guy is?"

The squirrel looked at her, scrunching his nose. He turned to chirp at Doreen. "Sure, take all the help you need!" the woman replied. The squirrel let out another squeak before bounding up and crawling back into the tree. Doreen smiled at the two women. "Don't worry, he'll get with his network and be back with the info in no time. So, does this mean I'm part of your team? That would be so cool, do you guys have those identi-card things the Avengers do?"

Jessica rubbed at her temples. "This is why I drink." For once, Trish had a hard time arguing with her. "And we're not a team."

"Yes, you are! I saw it on the news after the New York invasion! They're calling you the Defenders!"

Jessica whirled on Trish. "Please tell me they're not."

"I told you that already!"

"I thought you were joking. I was drinking at the time, remember?"

"You drink all the time, Jess, that doesn't narrow it down."

"Hey, you wanna hear my secret origin?" Doreen asked.

"No language in the universes has enough variations of no to equal my response."

"See, I thought I was a mutant but it turns out it's something else…"

"I don't care."

"I was ten years old when I realized what I could do and as I grew, my powers also gained steam as I have the proportionate strength, speed, and agility of a squirrel…."

"I will pay you to be quiet."

"Thought about joining a team but not sure but this will be so cool!"

Trish shook her head. "You really wanted to chastise me for going crime-fighting?"

Jessica threw up her hands and started to walk off. "Okay, I guess I'll call you when I get info!" Doreen called after her. She grinned as she clapped her hands. "Squirrel Girl joins the Defenders, this is so going to up my brand!" She literally skipped away as Jessica stared after her. "The next time Mick offers me a date, I'm accepting, I don't care what happens."

* * *

Luke entered the sewer headquarters, now clad in a simpler pair of slacks and jacket like his old outfit. A nice shower and night in his bed had helped and he was ready to aid once more in tangling with the Foot. Except for Misty (at the station helping to clean up from the previous night's mess), most of the group had gathered once more. Coleen was talking to April while Casy and Relph were sparring. He saw the Punisher sitting in a corner, going over some of his weapons. "You slept here?"

"I've slept in worse places," Castle answered. "You used to get that. Sure you don't now with the fancy new digs of yours.

Luke glared at him. "You got a problem, Castle?"

"Just figuring you out," Castle intoned. "Why the ex-con who talked of being a hero for Harlem is now running a gang operation."

"I don't, someone else will," Luke fired back. "I'm better than whoever could take over."

"Which is why I haven't tried to kill you yet," the Punisher said in a harder voice. "Don't make me change my mind."

"You think your popguns will do anything?"

"I'm not the only one who knows where to find better tech, Cage. If I wanted to, I could take you out."

"Dude, come on, threats right now?" Leonardo shook his head. "We're all on the same side."

"No, we're not," Castle snapped. "You're not soldiers, you're a bunch of freaks playing games."

Raphael was glaring over at him from his spot sparring with Casey. "Watch with the freaks talk, pal! We don't like that!"

"Call it as I see it," Castle remarked. "I'd cut out by now but even I know more numbers can help in a fight like this."

"What the hell happened to you?" Raphael snapped. "What turned you into this?"

Castle glared at him. "My family was murdered by someone trying to get at me. I saw how life was unfair and the courts can do nothing to stop it. The police are held back and too many folks care about being fair than doing what's right. The system is broken." He inserted a clip into his rifle. "Mine isn't."

"Sounds like a cop-out to me," Leonardo stated. "We know how it is to be pushed far, pal. We've seen people broken down too, they didn't turn into killers." He nodded toward Casey.

"I'm a soldier. There's a difference."

"Or is that just the excuse you use to feel better?" He moved toward Cage. "Maybe I haven't walked in your shoes..."

"Or any shoes, really," Michaelangelo inserted from his place on the couch.

"But I know that giving yourself over to anger and hate is not the way to live."

"Works for me."

"You claim you're doing this for justice but you're just adding to the cycle."

"My sons are correct," Splinter stated. He was soothing as ever as he watched Raphael and Casey spar. "While I am not a fan of Mr. Castle's methods, I can understand his anger." He looked to Castle. "But you should be careful that such hate does not overwhelm your soul."

Castle glared at him. "Buddy…I lost that a long time ago."

"I used to think the same," Luke intoned. "I was wrong."

Castle scoffed. "What are you now, a priest?"

"Not in my lifetime. Just having some insight."

Castle shook his head. "Don't go acting like you're a hero now, Cage."

"We never claimed to be heroes," Raphael stated. "But hey, sometimes, it just happens."

"And dude, you came in there and kicked some ass on the Foot!" Michealengo stated. "That seems heroic to me!" He paused. "Then again, you were using guns and Master Splinter says that's the coward's way. But you did go in on your own and that's pretty brave." He frowned. "And Cage seems a good guy but is running a gang operation...And Rand has some secret...And Jones drinks a lot and insulting and that's not heroic even though they all fight crime..." He rubbed his chin. "I may need to make some charts..."

Danny was looking to April as she was hanging by Donatello, both looking over the computer screen. "Wow, these hero things really are for real," April stated. "It's just weird, so much different in this world but a lot the same."

"For the record, we looked for you and Casey here," Donatello said. "But no hits so guess no counterparts here."

"I'm still figuring your world out," Colleen stated. "A hockey player turns into a crimefighter and a reporter joining with?"

"I guess weird stuff abounds in any universe,' April admitted. "Then again, this Iron Man guy is something else."

"It is dumb," Raphael stated. "Him and that Captain America and Spider-Man guy going around wearing masks..."

"Ralph, you guys wear masks."

"That's different! We're living up to a tradition!"

"What a person wears is never what matters, my son," Splinter announced. "It is always what is within the heart and the strength of their spirit."

Colleen raised an eyebrow. "I can imagine you and Stick would have had some fascinating discussions."

"I still want to check this Stark place out," Donatello announced. "Seriously, the tech this guy uses is just mind-blowing! I'm looking at the suits and is this love? I think this might be what love feels like..."

"Oh, God, he's gonna try making us armor, isn't he?" Raphael groaned and Leonardo had to make a nod of agreement. "He's gonna make us armored suits which will be the stupidest things ever and I wouldn't be caught dead in one!"

Danny chuckled as he looked to Splinter. "Too bad Matt had to leave on his errand, I still think he has more in common with you guys than he'd admit."

"What?" Michaelangelo scoffed. "Some guy who got his powers from radiation, trained by a weird old master and fights an ancient ninja order in a costume? We're nothing alike!" He chewed on his pizza before seeing everyone staring at him. "What?"

* * *

In the time since discovering his friend's special abilities, Foggy Nelson had seen Matt Murdock in a new light. He'd never realized how someone with such heightened senses had to cope with a city as chaotic as New York. Matt had explained it took years of training to not go wild over bad smells or sounds yet Foggy couldn't imagine how someone with super-hearing could even sleep at night. Not to mention being able to walk past any of the countless garbage bins dotting the city. But it did seem to serve him well as they made their way toward the offices of the New York Bulletin.

Foggy had to chuckle at Matt adjusting his tie. "You're nervous."

"I'm not."

"For a lawyer who crusades in a costume, you're a lousy liar, Matt."

Matt rolled his eyes behind his dark glasses as they entered the main building and passed through security. "You didn't have to come."

"I'm being a good friend, sue me."

"I'll avoid the easy joke there."

The elevator hummed as Matt tapped his cane on the ground. "Fine, I'm a little nervous. We left a lot up in the air before the….thing…so I wanted to clear things up."

"It'll be okay. She's a smart gal, she'll accept this."

Matt shrugged as the elevator opened. He cocked his head as he exited. "Huh. Not hearing heartbeats, guess it's a lunch hour."

Foggy opened the door to the main office of the newspaper…and froze in his tracks, his briefcase falling from his hand as his face dissolved into horror. The smell of blood hit Matt hard and he winced as he took a step back. "Dammit…what is happening?"

"Oh…God…" Foggy moaned a hand to his mouth.

"What? What is it?"

"Matt…for once in your life…be glad you can't see." Foggy knew he'd be carrying the images in his mind for months on end.

One figure was draped over a chair with a pair of knives sticking out his eyes. A woman was slumped over her desk with what appeared to be a spoon sticking out of the back of her scalp. A teenage intern had his face smashed into a nearby copying machine, which actually made some copies of his final agonizing moments. A heavyset woman was slumped in her chair with the cord of her computer wrapped around her throat. Others were strewn about with items sticking out of their heads and chests that ranged from knives to pens to what looked like a playing card in one's throat.

Despite his shock, Matt's ears picked up at a heartbeat he found familiar. "Karen," he whispered, rushing to a nearby office. He kicked in the door to enter. "Karen!" Foggy was behind her, seeing Karen Page cowering under a desk, blood on her face and clothing but seemingly unharmed.

"Matt?" she whispered, her eyes wide as she shook in her place. "Matt, get out…he's still here."

"Who?" Before she could answer, Matt sensed something coming at him. He spun around, raising his cane in time to deflect the pair of knives being thrown after him. Standing before him was a figure clad in a black and white costume with what looked like a target on his forehead. "Not bad, Red," he grunted.

Matt frowned as he recognized the voice. "Poindexter?! Is that you?"

"It's Bullseye," the man replied. "I've had a whole lotta time to think about how you got me here, Red. I figured going after her would be a good way to draw you out."

Matt was shrugging off his coat and pulling off his tie, freeing himself as much as possible. "Killing these people wasn't needed."

"Nah. That was just to fill out the time." He gave an easy-going shrug. "I get bored."

Matt could instantly tell whatever psychosis had hit Dex was worse than ever before. "Don't do this, Dex."

"Bullseye!" the man snarled as he pulled out another knife. He was racing in as Matt moved to catch his attack. "Foggy, get Karen and go!"

Foggy knew better than to argue with Matt. He was by no means a coward but it was obvious when he was a liability. Grabbing Karen, he moved toward the exit. Bullseye punched at Matt and then moved to throw a knife at Foggy. Matt tackled him, causing the throw to go off and barely graze Foggy. He hissed in pain but continued to push Karen toward the exit.

Bullseye glared at Matt. "You. Made me. Miss!" He punched Matt hard. He rolled with the blow to lash out a kick that smashed into Bullseye's mouth. The man grunted with a hand to his jaw. He flicked something out and Matt barely managed to hold up his cane to catch the items. He realized that Bullseye had just thrown his own tooth at Matt's eyes. Which meant not only was he a truly sick person but his aim was more uncanny than ever.

Karen was heaving for breath as Foggy pushed her to the elevator. He was already dialing a number on his phone and held it up. "Misty? It's Foggy. Matt gave me the number for an emergency, get down to the Daily Bulletin now!"

Bullseye smashed Matt against the nearest wall and blasted him again with a blow. Matt gasped as he felt the punch, which was far stronger than a normal human should be. "Hurts, huh?" Bullseye gloated. "Ya wouldn't believe the sorts of things you can rebuild a spine with nowadays."

Matt snarled as Bullseye once more smashed him with a punch that he had to take. They fought around the office, trading punches and kicks. Matt was doing his best but Bullseye's strength, combined with his sheer insanity, was affecting him. "Ya know, once I figured out who you really were, I figured you were faking the blind thing," Bullseye hissed. "Fisk does. It's the perfect disguise, who's gonna think a sightless shyster is a vigilante? But nope, I get it now. You're really blind, just some nifty super-senses to make up for it." He reached to his belt. "Which means this oughta really hurt."

He pressed down on the device and a high-pitched siren echoed throughout the room. Matt yelled as he fell to his knees, clutching his ears in absolute agony. Bullseye grinned, his own special earplugs protecting him from the sound. He unsheathed a dagger, spinning it in his hand as he moved over the fallen and shaking Matt. "I'm sure this can be seen as cheating, Red….But hey, we all gotta go sometime."

He raised it up just as a star-shaped object flew through the air to knock the blade out of his hand. Another star cut through the belt, silencing the sonic scrambler. Bullseye looked to the nearby window where a vision in dark red knelt, the sash at her waist flowing behind her. The wind billowed her lush black hair after her, her flawless exotic features on display with the eyes narrowed right at the costumed killer.

Matt's hearing had cleared yet he was sure he was somehow mistaking the distinctive heartbeat he knew so well. " _Elektra_?" he whispered.

The beautiful woman let out a small smile as she spun a sai in her hands. "Matthew. You just can't keep out of trouble…"

Bullseye grinned as he held up his knife. "Now this…just got interesting." He moved to attack and Elektra leapt to charge at him and Daredevil rolled on the ground to get out of the way of the two deadly killers

* * *

Shredder was starting to well and truly hate this version of New York.

It wasn't like the city he knew was sweetness and light but this version with all its super-heroes and incessant media attention was really aggravating him. At least there were still places for him and his people to hide but he was getting tired of finding one abandoned building after enough to cower in rather than ruling as he should. This former base of some organization called SHIELD was doing well for now but Shredder vowed he wasn't going to be moving again.

"Are you finished?" he demanded, his arms crossed as he watched Stockman fiddle with the device before him. It linked his transponder to the communications equipment left behind, the screens showing nothing but static. Bebop and Rocksteady were nearby while the remaining Foot were trying to regroup following the mess of the previous evening.

"Given I've never worked with this technology before, the fact I'm this far ahead should say something!" Stockman snapped with that annoying buzz of his.

"Stockman, you know I loathe the cliches of threats involving terms such as 'swatting' and 'squashing' but if you don't prove your worth in the next minute..."

Stockman adjusted the cables in the transponder before activating it. "Aha...I think I have it!" The screens shimmered with power before a face slowly appeared in it. It took in the figures before him and let out a grunt. " _I was wondering when you'd eventually call. Although I'd half hoped it would be never."_

 _"_ You were hardly my first option either," Shredder returned.

"I don't know how long the connection will last," Stockman warned. "So maybe you two can stop the usual reminding yourselves how much you despise each other and just get down to business?"

Shredder nodded. "Very well. The offer is simple. This world can be open for an invasion by you in exchange for getting us back to ours. We can finally end this annoying rivalry/partnership we have and each be on our way. Are you open to it?"

There was a long pause before the figure moved forward so his face filled the screen. The face was set in what looked like a brain with eyes and a pair of tiny tentacles shaking about. " _Keep talking, Shredder_ ," Krang stated. " _Just keep talking._.."

* * *

 **For Squirrel Girl, I know there's Milana Vayntrub and Anna Kendrick a favorite. But I think Eden Sher (T _he Middle)_ would be perfect in the role.**

 **And yes, there are plans for the Hand still even with Gorgon taken out (because that's what Squirrel Girl does, takes out big bads fast). Plus, the Elektra vs Bullseye fight and obviously Krang entering the fray so hopefully not as long before the next update.**


End file.
